Dental unit



April 28, 1931. A. F. PIEPER 2 DENTAL UNIT Original Filed July 2, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 28, 1931 A LPHONSE F. PIEIPER, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK DENTAL UNIT Application filed July 2, 1925, Serial No. 41,005. Renewed September 7, 1929. 7

My invention relates to' dental units of the type disclosed in'Patent'No. 1,376,356,

issued April 26, 1921, to Oscar H. Pieper and Alphonse F. Pieper, and it contemplates 5 an improvement. or attachment which will render the unit more flexible and its use more convenient. More specifically, the invention covers an improved instrument holder or rack which is extensible, so as to increase the 10 range and facility of use of the various tools and appliances which are connected through flexible cords with driving or power sources within the unit pedestal.

On the drawings Figural is a side elevational view of the upper end of the pedestal with part of the pedestal'and the extensible attachment mechanism in section; I

Fig. 2 is a front elevational' View of the upper end of the unit; and

Fig. 3 is a plan view.

The'pedestal P is of the same construction as that in the patent referred to and it has the offset or extensionpart 10 at the top and rear for containing the various-appliances,

as disclosed in said patent. A represents various examination instruments, or air and electrically operated hand instruments, which instruments are connected by flexible cords 11 with air or electric controlling devices housed within the pedestal, all as disclosed insaid patent, together with weights which yieldably hold the cords down in the pedestal.

In accordance with myinvention I provide above the top 12 of the pedestal a shelf 13 which supports the pockets or cups 14.- in which the instruments A seat when not in use, and in order to increase the range of the instruments provision is made whereby the shelf may be shifted or extended forwardly of the pedestal and closer to the patient, it being understood that in practice the dental unit isat the left of the patients chair and the operatorstands at the right; By means of the extensible mechanism the shelf with the instruments thereon can be extended close to thepatient,'so that the operator may more conveniently reach and manipulate the various instruments.

The extensible support for the shelf13 comprises the outer and inner tubes 15 and 16 telescopically arranged. This tube struc ture extends transversely through the oflset part 10 of the pedestal and a short distance above the pedestal top 12. The outer tube 15 is received by a block 17 which block is mounted between the upper and lower brackets 18 and 19 on the pivot screws 20 and 21, so that the block may swing or.1"otate laterally. so The brackets 18 and 19 are secured to the front wall of the offset 10 by means of screws 22. The tube 15 extends through the bore 23 of the block 17 and may be rigidly secured to the block or, as shown, it may be slidable in the bore. Preferably, packing material 24 such as felt is inserted in the bore around the tube and retainer ferrules 25 and 26 are mounted on the ends of the block to retain the felt in place. The tube has the longitudinal slot 27 into which extends the lower end 20' of the upper pivot pin 20, so that the tube will be prevented from rotating and will have its longitudinal shift in the block limited.

At the front end of the inner tube 16 is the supporting bracket 28, whose base 28 extends into the tube and is detachably secured by means of a screw 29. The bracket at its lower end has hinge connection with the arm 30 extending from the middle of the shelf 89 13, so that the shelf with the instrument sockets 14 may be swung forwardly to inclined position as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, stop abutment-s 31 and 82 on the arm and bracket, respectively, limiting such 85 forward swing.

At its outer end the inner tube 16 is centered in the outer tube 15 by a bushing or packing 33 held in place by the ferrule 34 extending from the outer end of the outer tube. At its rear end the inner tube is centered in the outer tube by means of the plug 35 secured in the tube, and the bushing or packing 36 surrounding the outer end of the plug and engaging with the outer tube. The inner tube can thus be drawn forwardly in the outer tube and the outer tube can also be drawn forwardly through the block 1'4", so that the shelf 13 may be extended a considerable distance in front of the pedestal to carry the instruments A to a more convenient and accessible position for the operator. The outward movement of the outer tube is limited by the engagement of the rear end of the slot 27 with the pivot screw 20. To limit the outward movement of the inner tube the abutment 37 is provided, this abutment being in the form of a head at the end of the rod 38 which extends through the inner tube and through the plug 35, and at itsouter end is anchored in the plug 39 inserted in the rear end of the outer tube 15, the rod being shown as anchored by means of the nut 40 engaging the threads on the rod. The inward movement of the outer tube is stopped by the engagement of the front end of the slot 27 with the pivot pin 20 and the inward movement of the inner tube is stopped by the engagement of the plug 35 with the plug 39, cushioning'material 41 being preferably applied between the plugs to soften the impact. The packings Qt, 33 and 36 will permit the tube to be easily shifted and will deaden any noise. I

As shown, the tubular extension structure extends beyond the rear wall of the offset portion 10 of the pedestal and to accommodate and protect the rear end of the extension structure the bay 42 is providedin the closure plate 43, for the offset part 10.

When the tubular structure is extended forwardly to support the shelf 13 a distance in front of the pedestal, it may readily swing laterally to bring the shelf to the most convenient position relative to the patient and the operator. When the operator takes one of the instruments A and draws it out of its supporting socket and extends its cord, the tension or pull on the cord will cause the shelf 13 to swing forwardly to inclined position, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and this prevents sharp bends in the cord and permits the cord to travel freely through the thimbles 44 in the pedestal top 12, and around the flared end 14 of the cord socket 14. When the operator is through using an instrument, he moves it back to its socket and then the weighted cord will draw the instrument into its socket and will swing the shelf 13 back into its normal horizontal position. When the operator is through using the unit, he shifts the extension tubes back to their normal position, as indicated in full lines in Fig. 1.

I thus provide a simple, extensible and flexible instrument support for dental units which will enable the operator to quickly and accurately place the various instruments in the most convenient position for the work to be performed.

I do not desire to be limited to the exact construction, arrangement and operation shown and referred to, as changes in modification are possible which will still come within the scope of my invention, which I claim as follows 1. In a dental unit, the combination of a edestal structure comprising a hollow body part and a rearwardly offset portion at its top, a supporting arm pivoted on said offset portion to swing or rotate in a horizontal plane, said arm comprising telescopically connected members whereby it may be longitudinally extended, a shelf supported on said arm and normally positioned over said body part and in front of said offset portion, the pivotal support and the extensible arrangement of said arm permitting said shelf to be moved to different positions relative to said pedestal structure, a hinged connection between said shelf and: arm for permitting said shelf to be swung to inclined position, dental instruments seated on said shelf, and power supplying flexible and extensible cords extending from said instruments to the interior of said body part.

2. In a dental unit, the combination of a pedestal, a supporting bracket supported above the top of said pedestal and being extensible forwardly, a shelf above said bracket, dental instruments seated on said shelf, power supplying flexible and extensible cords extending from said instruments to the interior'of said pedestal, a supporting arm for said shelf extending forwardly therefrom and pivoted to the front end of said extensible bracket whereby when an instrument is withdrawn from its seat and moved forwardly said shelf may be swung upwardly and forwardly.

3. In a dental unit, the combination of a pedestal, a forwardly extensible and horizontally rotatable supporting arm above said pedestal, a shelf above said arm, instrument holders on said shelf, and power supplying flexible and extensible cords extending from instruments in said holders to the interior of said pedestal, said arm and shelf being hinged together at their forward ends whereby said shelf may swing upwardly and forwardly in response to pull on the cord of a removed instrument.

4. In a dental unit, a pedestal having an offset housing at the top thereof, sliding supports mounted in said offset housing and extending over the top of said pedestal, a frame hinged to the free ends of said supports instrument holders carried on said frame, and instruments adapted to be lodged in said holders and having conductors leading down- 

